Description
This Korean Ground Beef Bowl is a quick and easy weeknight dinner made with ground beef, brown sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. It’s sweet, savory, and ready in 15 minutes. Serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds for a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
For the Beef:
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1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
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3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Sweet & Savory Sauce:
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1/4 cup packed brown sugar
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1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
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1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
To Serve:
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2 cups hot cooked rice (white or brown)
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Sliced green onions (for garnish)
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Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
Set your large skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef along with the minced garlic. Use your spoon to break the beef into bite-sized crumbles as it cooks, stirring now and then, until it’s nicely browned and no longer pink—this usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it’s cooked through, drain off any extra grease so your sauce can really cling to the meat.
While the beef is sizzling away, grab that small bowl and whisk together your brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. This silky sauce is where all the flavor lives, so make sure everything blends together smoothly.
Pour your sauce directly over the cooked beef in the skillet, tossing everything together until each piece is beautifully coated. Let it simmer gently for just 1 to 2 minutes—you’ll notice the sauce thickening slightly and clinging to the meat like a dream. Don’t skip this step; it’s where the magic happens!
Spoon generous portions of that saucy beef over bowls of hot, fluffy rice. Top each one with a handful of sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for color, crunch, and that final touch of flavor.
Notes
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Don’t overcook the beef – Once it’s browned, you’re done; overcooking makes it tough and dry instead of tender
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Adjust sweetness to taste – Love it sweeter? Add another tablespoon of brown sugar; prefer it less sweet? Cut it back to 2–3 tablespoons
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Make extra sauce – If you’re a sauce lover like me, double the sauce ingredients for extra glaze that soaks into the rice
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Use day-old rice – Leftover rice from takeout or yesterday’s dinner reheats beautifully and has the perfect texture for bowls
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean